There’s a relatively brief but interesting article in today’s Age that features an interview with Metro Trains CEO: Train timetables ‘too complicated’

A simplified timetable was needed so customers could remember it, and so train controllers could recover the system when things went wrong, he said.

Mr Lezala said he deliberately did not own a car in Melbourne. ”I am an advocate of public transport. I like the tram network because the frequency is such that you do not need to understand the timetable.”

The train network needed that frequency, he said. The Public Transport Users Association campaigned in 2008 to get trains, trams and buses running every 10 minutes. He said this was the correct approach.

The contracts established Connex as train operator, another company, Mainco, as track maintainer and a third firm, United – now part of Metro Trains – as train repairer.

The new contracts bring responsibility for all of this into one company, Metro. Mr Lezala – who repeatedly apologised to the public this week for Monday’s problems – said people should expect excellent service from Metro. ”If it is not going right, we should apologise and let people know what we are doing about it.”

A somewhat concerning piece from Reid Sexton in The Age: Train drivers put lives on the line

Sources say the incidents had increased markedly in the past 20 years, and they blame poor driver training, decaying infrastructure and lighter penalties for drivers who breach red lights.

The July incident is one of 141 red light breaches recorded in the first 10 months of 2009.

While all Metro trains brake automatically if they run a red light, a train travelling at top speed needs at least 500 metres to stop in time. ”Even one signal passed at danger is too many,” said a Metro source. ”This is going to end in disaster at a level crossing.”

The first of Melbourne’s new X’Trapolis trains was rolled out yesterday. Then promptly rolled back. Per Clay Lucas at The Age: New train: catch it if you can

But immediately after the Alstom X’Trapolis train had finished two runs on the suburban network – one to Glen Waverley and back, and another to Epping – it was returned to the Newport rail repair yards.

Thirteen new trains are scheduled to be introduced in the lead-up to next year’s state election in November, as the Government tries to relieve commuters from severe overcrowding at peak times.

The famed myki is off and running, or something, well, at least if you’re catching trains only.

The official website is myki.com.au. They didn’t take care of myki.org.au though, which belongs to the Myki Users Group.

There’s a bit of coverage in the local media.

The Age: Myki rolls out – but only on city trains and Kosky takes the myki: no trams, buses, tickets

ABC: Myki rollout leaves trams, buses behind

There’s free registered myki cards to be had from their website. Think it is for registered cards only though. Normally they’ll cost $7 concession or $10 full fare (if I’m remembering correctly).

File this one under you learn something new every day.

The Victorian Department of Transport  has a Taxi Fare Estimator which is pretty cool!